The Well of Life

This book leads the reader to  understand  in a deeper way the meaning of the unusual  encounter  between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacobs’ well. It starts in a casual conversation between a thirsty traveler and a woman engaged in the ordinary work of drawing  water  from the town well. From her questions about the “ living water” that the Lord tries to explain, her soul’ s blind and ignorant condition is only penetrated by Jesus’ straightforward questioning about her married life. In her sincerity she freely admits the truth. In short order she enthusiastically reaches out to her entire village, bringing them rushing to the feet of Christ and to their conversion to his message of universal salvation.   

Chevrot  adds further commentary and details which show that something extraordinarily new is taking place. Sinful but repentant people, not only the faithful and justified, are now also entrusted with spreading the new kingdom of Christ. In  other  words, everyone is called to holiness. Salvation is not only for the  just, but also for the world’ s low  lifes. The book’ s 24 chapters tackle prejudice, of what use is religion, not being scandalized, confession of sins, Christian obedience, optimism,  witnessing  in ordinary circumstances to Christ, and the experience of faith and how it changes peoples and societies.   

Originally translated from French and published in English by Scepter in the 1950s. This book is newly edited and released again after an absence of 60 years. 

Georges Chevrot (1879– 1958) was born and died in Paris. He was ordained a Catholic diocesan priest and worked with ordinary Christians in the city for most of his life. He lived through two World Wars including the Axis occupation during World War II. George Chevrot wrote more than 20 books in French, of which five are in print from Scepter: The Well of Life, Simon Peter, The Beatitudes, The Easter Victory, and The Prodigal Son.